House Tyrell
House Tyrell of Highgarden is a Great House of Westeros and the former Lords Paramount of the Reach, a title they lost during the Ascent of the Lion. Once a large and wealthy family, the Tyrells have spent much of their recent years attempting to rebuild from the ashes of their legacy. The current Lord of Highgarden is Olyvar Tyrell. He is the end of House Tyrell's male line, having only daughters and female kin left alive. Seat: Highgarden Highgarden is a castle which serves as the seat of House Tyrell. It rules the lordship of Highgarden which consists of the lands of the Reach proper from the mouth of the Mander to New Barrel. It stands along the Mander where the Ocean Road meets the Roseroad, making it an important crossroads. Highgarden is surrounded by three rings of white stone walls increasing in height. Between the outer and middle walls is a famous briar labyrinth which serves to entertain guests as well as slow invaders. Both of these were severely damaged during the Ascent of the Lion, however have been restored at great cost to House Tyrell. The oldest towers, squat and square, are from the Age of Heroes. Newer towers are tall and slender with round fortifications dating from after the Andal Invasion. Within the walls are groves, fountains, and courtyards. The sept is matched only by the Great Sept of Baelor and the Starry Sept. The castle's godswood contains three weirwoods known as the Three Singers. The main keep is decorated with statues and colonnades. The castle's structures are traditionally covered in ivy, grapes, and climbing roses. There are fields of golden roses that stretch as far as the eye can see to the north and west. Fruits grown nearby include melons, peaches, and fireplums. A town resides immediately outside the castle's outermost wall to the east. Its docks are usually filled with trading vessels. Several market squares litter the cobblestone streets and taverns, inns, and brothels are not an uncommon sight. Orchards and vineyards as well as several smaller villages rest on the southern banks of the river, across from the castle. Important Events 'Prior to the First Era' House Tyrell has shared an exceptionally close relationship with the royal House Baratheon since the time of King Davos Baratheon, who restored the Faith of the Seven to Westeros after several years of domination by the religion of R'hllor. While several of the major and minor houses did not take sides in the bloody conflict, House Tyrell was the first amongst the Great Houses to stand alongside the Baratheons and won the war almost by the strength of their two armies alone. The Red Rose was a knight of House Tyrell during the war and later served as a knight of the Kingsguard for both Kings Davos and Trystane Baratheon. Prior to the first era, the house came under the rule of Luthor Tyrell. He fathered two sons, one of whom, Baelor, would grow up to be successor to the Reach. The two boys were close friends with King Renly's two sons Harys and Joseph. Baelor would be a lifelong friend of the future King Harys and one of his staunchest allies. The Tyrells carried a significant court presence in King's Landing, with Baelor a close advisor to the king. Two of daughters, Maude and Mellara, were raised as ladies in the capital and were the subject of many suitors. Baelor's second daughter, Meredyth, was raised from the age of eleven by House Tarly of Horn Hill, where she grew to practically rule the House and was probably expected to wed the house's future lord. His son, Olyvar, grew up to earn his maester's chain and was assigned to his family's court in Highgarden, where he served loyally and excellently. 'First Era' At the start of the first era, Lord Baelor attended a great feast in King's Landing with his daughters to celebrate the start of the new year along with his king. At this time, Harys had become enamored with Baelor's daughter Maude and began to court her as his new bride, increasing tensions with House Martell and their Dornish bannermen. Several weeks into their stay at court, Maude Tyrell mysteriously disappeared from her apartments in the Red Keep, and the castle was thrown into chaos with the search. An enraged Lord Baelor was certain that Lord Gylen Hightower was responsible, perpetuating the feud between their two houses, and most of the members of court agreed. A slighted Harys called for all of his forces to march on Oldtown and retrieve Maude at the insistence of his mater of whispers, despite no concrete evidence Maude was even in Oldtown. Baelor marched alongside his king, bringing Mellara with him, and being joined by Troy and Benjen on the road. Troy Tyrell accompanied the King into the city to speak with Lord Gylen Hightower, where they discovered the Hightowers had purchased the Golden Company, angering Harys, though they could find no evidence of wrongdoing or of Maude's presence. A frustrated Troy broke guest right during the meeting by laying hands on the lord and throwing him against a wall, forcing the party to leave the city at Hightower's demand. Harys, infuriated with Troy's interference that prevented them from finding Maude, ordered his Kingsguard knight Thaddius Lannister to escort Troy and his siblings back to Highgarden to prevent further mishaps. Soon after, both Harys and Baelor were stunned to learn that the capital had been sacked while their forces were in the south, and that a Lannister now sat the Iron Throne. Harys immediately turned his forces back from Oldtown to march on King's Landing and reclaim his seat while marshaling the Tyrell banners along the way. Baelor stood by the Baratheons despite the danger that Maude was in as a captive, and the danger that three of his other children were being escorted by a Lannister knight. Marching back to Highgarden to marshal his levies, they were swiftly followed by the forces of Gylen Hightower. On the road back to Highgarden, Thaddius betrayed his king, taking his captives hostage to offer to King Aerion in King's Landing. For amusement, he forced Troy and Benjen to dual each other to the death, resulting in Benjen beheading Troy as Mellara looked on in horror. Taking Benjen and Mellara in chains with Troy's head in a sack on Benjen's lap to torment him, Thaddius marched them to King's Landing. After Baelor had called his banners and began marching with the Baratheon forces back up the rose road, Gylen swiftly arrived after they left and promptly sacked Highgarden with the aid of Golden Company forces disguised as Tyrell forces. The castle was torn apart stone by stone and nearly burned to the ground in the sack, and most of the populace put to the sword. Maester Olyvar was spared, though, and following the vows of his order, served the new lord of Highgarden, Robert Manderly, despite his horror at the destruction engulfing his home and House. With Troy and Mellara now captives in King's Landing along with Maude, who had been returned to the city under guard, Baelor arrived with the Baratheon army some time after his keep had been sacked. Fighting alongside the last loyalist force in the battle of the Kingswood, King Harys was slain by the usurper Damon Lannister while Baelor was among those taken captive. The defeat in the Kingswood brought an end to the war and signaled the coming end of the Tyrell family. 'Second Era' After the war's end, the captive Baelor and his youngest son Benjen were executed by the king's justice, effectively bringing the male line of House Tyrell to extinction. Maude was forcefully betrothed to Robert Manderly to secure his claim as the newly appointed Lord of Highgarden, though she committed suicide soon after while still a captive in the Red Keep. Meredyth, kept out of danger from the war while at Horn Hill, was escorted back to Highgarden and wed to Manderly in her sister's place, while Mellara was kept as Robert's ward in the same castle. Maester Olyvar continued to serve the man who helped devastate his family but assisted his sisters in surviving the next few years. 'Third Era' Meredyth Tyrell, with the assistance of her maester brother, Olyvar, poisoned Robert Manderly, regaining her family's seat for herself as his widow and ridding the castle of a man partially responsible for her family's destruction. Under the suspicion that fowl play was involved with Robert's death, Lord Paramount Gylen Hightower sent his son and heir, Gerold to retrieve the youngest Tyrell sibling as a ward and hostage. Mellara was taken by Gerold to the Hightower and House Tyrell's lands were split up amongst other reach lords. Fourth Era Mellara Tyrell was brutally murdered at the command of Gylen Hightower during the War of the False King. Highgarden was attacked and occupied by Dagon Greyjoy. Fifth Era Olyvar Tyrell became the head of House Tyrell and was restored his house's lands after King Damon Lannister removed his chain at his behest, in return for saving Queen Danae Targaryen's life on their way back to King's Landing from Oldtown. Olyvar married Melessa Merryweather, a younger daughter of the Lord of Longtable, solidifying the alliance between his House and House Merryweather, who had remained Tyrell loyalists since the Ascent of the Lion. He then brought on the bastard of the Ring as the new High Steward of Highgarden, adding House Roxton to his side as well. Meredyth moved to King's Landing and took up a position as Queen Danae's handmaiden; she and another companion, Joanna Plumm, did not get along whilst together in the Red Keep. Sixth Era Melessa became pregnant and later gave birth to Olyvar's first child, Elyana Tyrell. Seventh Era Lord and Lady Tyrell continued their attempts to produce a male heir for House Tyrell, Olyvar feeling more and more anxious about his House's future all the while. Unfortunately, despite the three pregnancies the couple saw during this time, they were not able to produce a second child, let alone a male. Highgarden saw a completion of the years-long reconstruction effort following the two wars back to back. Eighth Era The Most Devout, sent by the High Septon himself, came to the Reach in order to lend aid to the starving kingdom in the beginning of Winter. The men of the faith initially took up residence in both Oldtown and Highgarden to see to the distribution of supplies. The Most Devout at Highgarden were led by Septon Aethelmure who got along quite well with his host, Olyvar Tyrell. The King eventually ordered that the Faith base their operations solely from Oldtown, forcing Septon Aethelmure to leave Highgarden. Olyvar Tyrell was amongst the many lords to attend the Council in the Reach hosted by Lady Paramount Ashara and her brother, King Damon, knowing his liege would need his support and therefore that of his allies if she hooped to be successful. He brought along his daughter, Elyana, who was all too eager to see Oldtown. While in the city, Olyvar was forced to make common cause with Ashara Lannister when a plot by a Bulwer knight named Garth came to light. One to see Olyvar named Lord Paramount, even if it meant another war. Meredyth Tyrell returned to the Reach for the first time since becoming the Queen's handmaiden when she received word of Lady Ashara's ball. While traveling, she and her party rested at Highgarden and visited with her goodsister, Lady Melessa Tyrell. At the Lioness's Ball, the Roxtons and Tyrells spent much of the evening in each other's company, Elyana growing fond of Jocelyn Roxton in particular. Melessa gave birth to twins the night of the ball, a baby girl named Alysanne Tyrell and stillborn boy. The Tyrells soon discovered Melessa would not be able to have any more children as a result of the difficult birth. Olyvar enlisted the assistance of the Roxtons in ridding the Reach of Garth Bulwer the night of the Lioness' Ball. He supplied the eldest Roxton daughter with poison, which she fed the knight over a glass of wine willingly. Following the dismissal of their baseborn uncle as Lord Senechal, Jocelyn and Margaery Roxton were brought on as Lady Tyrell's handmaidens at Olyvar's insistence once they made it back to Highgarden. Lord and Lady Tyrell began to put aside their differences and enjoy each other's company in this time. They began parenting their daughters together as well. This ended however, when Melessa eventually grew distrustful of Olyvar and Margaery's close relationship; finding it inappropriate and insulting. The Tyrells gathered many of the allied houses and responded to a trade offer from House Dayne and other dornish houses. Ashara Dayne arrived at Highgarden on behalf of her kingdom to negotiate terms of a deal to bring food to the blighted Reach. At the welcoming feast, Melessa and Olyvar confronted one another about her suspicions. In the end, Olyvar convinced her that he was not having an affair, but also revealed the truth of his darker past. Notable Members * Pearse Tyrell the 'Red Rose' (322-405 AC) * Theodore Tyrell (408-452 AC) * Merianne Baratheon née Tyrell (432-460 AC) * Luthor Tyrell (433-480 AC) * Baelor Tyrell (458-501 AC) * Troy Tyrell (477-501 AC) * Maude Tyrell (479-501 AC) * Benjen Tyrell (481-500 AC) * Mellara Tyrell (487-504 AC) * Olyvar Tyrell * Meredyth Tyrell * Elyana Tyrell * Alysanne Tyrell * Leonette Tarly née Tyrell Category:House Category:The Reach Category:Tyrell Category:Highgarden Category:Reach